Getting to Know You Tuesday – Lynn Shurr

BIO:
Once a librarian, now a writer of romance, Lynn Shurr grew up in Pennsylvania Dutch country. She attended a state college and earned a very impractical B.A. in English Literature. Her first job out of school really was working as a cashier in a burger joint. Moving from one humble job to another, she traveled to North Carolina, then Germany, then California where she buckled down and studied for an M.A. in Librarianship.
New degree in hand, she found her first reference job in the Heart of Cajun Country, Lafayette, Louisiana. For her, the old saying, “Once you’ve tasted bayou water, you will always stay here” came true. She raised three children not far from the Bayou Teche and lives there still with her astronomer husband.
When not writing, Lynn likes to paint, cheer for the New Orleans Saints and LSU Tigers, and take long road trips nearly anywhere. Her love of the bayou country, its history and customs, often shows in the background for her books.
She is the author of the popular Sinners sports romance series, Goals for a Sinner, Wish for a Sinner, Kicks for a Sinner, Paradise for a Sinner, and Love Letter for a Sinner, and the Mardi Gras series: Queen of the Mardi Gras Ball, Mardi Gras Madness and Courir de Mardi Gras (scheduled for January, 2015). She has also debuted a new contemporary western series: The Convent Rose, A Wild Red Rose, and Always Yellow Roses (release date, September 15, 2014). Her stand-alone contemporary romance, A Trashy Affair, was published in 2013 along with two Cajun romances, A Taste of Bayou Water and Blessings and Curses.

Lynn is a member of my local RWA Chapter, and she was nice enough to answer my interview questions.

Top five favorite movies or books: Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Gone with the Wind, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter books (This list could go on forever.)In 5 words, please describe your “Romance Writing Style.” Love and laughter, past and present (I guess that is six.)What is your “girlie girl” thing? I.e. getting your hair done? Nails? Shopping? Gossiping? Chick flicks? I am not a girlie girl. I hate shopping, dressing up and spa treatments which I find slightly creepy—except for pedicures because who else will rub your feet. I do enjoy the occasional chick flick but usually have to go alone or rent it because my husband will definitely not attend.This or That:
~ Wine or Beer? Wine, a taste acquired from living in California for a while.~ Sex in the City or Caroline in the City? Caroline in the City. I’m not a girly girl like I said.~ Perfume or Jewelry? Jewelry, especially unusual handmade pieces, but I never wear perfume.~ Painted nails or Au Natural? I have nice fingers and nails but always go au natural. Just too much trouble to paint them.~ Tall or Dark or Handsome? Handsome comes in all sizes and can be inside or out.~ Romantic Dinner at Home or Out? Out! If we stay home I have to cook it.~ Roses or Lilies? I love all flowers, even wildflowers, i.e. weeds, but in this case roses for their light scent and variety.~ Diamond or Emeralds? Oh, I’d gladly accept either.~ Pirates or Ninjas? Ninjas, though I am not a great fan of either. Pirates really weren’t very nice and ninjas often turn out to be turtles these days.Do your leading men come from any place in particular? Dreams? Movie stars? Your partner? Past partners? They can come from anywhere. My football quarterback is a mashup of Joe Namath, Brett Favre, Tom Brady and Jake Delhomme, but he is his own man in the end. The hero of Blessings and Curses was based on a naturalist I knew in appearance—but he did not dance or womanize. My bull rider in Convent Rose evolved from a biography I read of Ty Murray, but again became his own unique character. None of them are real. I can spin a hero out of someone I’ve stood in line behind or sat next to on an airplane. It only takes one interesting feature to create a new man.If your sweetheart wanted to sweep you off your feet, what would they need to do?? Fly me to see Stone Henge on the solstice or to Italy for a superb meal and a tour of Pompeii. Neither are likely to happen.Do you ever daydream about people you see at the park? Airport? Train station? Mall? And build romance scenes around them while you daydream? All the time. It is a great way to pass the time and sometimes they work their way into books.What do you do in your down time? I paint, watch the Saints and LSU football, love to travel, give tours at an antebellum home, which comes in handy when you are writing a book like Always Yellow Roses, and go to water aerobics. I have to make time for these things as I hate leaving a story once I begin to create it.When you go to Starbucks or Jamba Juice, what do you order? A skinny latte grande and a scone at Starbucks. Then, I settle down at a table with a good book.When you walk into a book store, where do you head first? The romance section of course, then science fiction, history, travel and children’s books for the grandson. I can spend all day in a book store.If we sneaked a peek in your purse right now, what would we find? The usual-checkbook, credit cards, comb, some makeup, lots of pens (for signing autographs-ha!), a big wad of promotional postcards for my books that I foist off on people, and a tiny pewter angel someone gave me for luck.In 4 words, describe yourself. Productive, imaginative, humorous, talkative.Top ten snacks while writing: I really don’t snack when writing. If things aren’t going well, I might resort to chocolate. At three, I take a tea break with half a cream cheese bagel or some other small goodie. When not writing, I have a failing for crunchy potato chips, Payday bars, and Hershey’s with almonds. Fortunately, writing keeps my hands busy, and I hate a sticky keyboard.

Lynn’s latest book is Always Yellow Roses.

BLURB

A grave sin is committed in the early nineteenth century, the root of a feud between the Courville and Niles families. When Esperanza Niles breaks off her secret engagement to Rufe Courville more fuel is added to the fire of hatred with tragic results. Over one-hundred years later, young Noreen Courville is plagued by dreams of her family’s past. When she is pushed into the arms of cowboy, Rusty Niles, at a party, she thinks she understands the meaning of those dreams. She and Rusty are the reincarnated lovers, Espy and Rufe, destined to end the feud with their marriage. Rusty is not too sure about that but knows he loves Noreen. Hatred still flares between the two families and only a miracle will prevent another tragedy whether Noreen and Rusty are reincarnated souls or not. Can they end the feud? Only time will tell.

You may contact Lynn at lynn.shurr@yahoo.com, www.lynnshurr.com or visit her blog – http://lynnshurr.blogspot.com/.

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2 Comments

Lynn and I have been Facebook pals and she even did a guest post on my blog, but I learned a few more tings about her in this interview …what would sweep her off her feet is a good list for me, too! And I never paint my nails, (although I have been known to use strengthener.Clear.) And I am a big wildflower,(weeds to others), fan.
Continued good luck with your writing!